François’s Summer 2025 Essentials
One of the people I spend the most time with in Paris is François. He’s what you might call the perfect city guy, stylish, always showing up with some new gear, and incredibly reliable when it comes to advice on what your next bag, glasses, or camera should be. A true gear head, and that’s why I thought I’d share with you François’s Essentials for this Summer 2025!
CargoWerk 3in1 hip pouch $147
“Hey everyone! François here. Let’s start with the one thing I literally can’t leave the house without, my CargoWerk 3-in-1 hip pouch. After testing a prototype musette/sling bag earlier this year, I wanted to try something with a bit more volume, something that could work as a sling bag, a hip pack, or even mount onto my bike as a handlebar bag. This one does it all, and for the amount of wear I’ve already done to that thing, I can it’s built really well.
But beyond the function, there’s just something special about getting a bag from an independent maker. It feels personal, and overall way better than buying from yet another big brand constantly flooding Instagram with ads and collabs. I actually get to talk to the person who made it, and even share feedback to help improve future versions.”
Cinelli Mash Parallax $???
“This is my 2015 Parallax Obtical, which I’ve had for about four years now. It’s gone through a lot of different setups, at one point, it was fully decked out with Thomson parts. But that was until the day I decided to throw an ENVE riser bar on it. And, well… being a total ENVE fanboy, it kind of spiraled down from there.
Now it’s got ENVE everything: wheels, stem, bar, seatpost, even an ENVE fork. The fork is a nice upgrade, actually, because it reduces toe overlap compared to the original one.
This thing is simply a missile and what I call “My ultimate pimp Bike”. But honestly, it can also be way too stiff. Parisian cobblestones are brutal, and there are days I just leave this one at home and take another bike instead, even though this is still my favorite.”
Oakley Sphaera Glasses $297
“These are the Sphaera Prizm P, the ‘P’ stands for polarized, and honestly, they’re the perfect choice in my opinion. Especially in summer, when it’s blazing hot and there’s that weird heat haze shimmering over the road, the polarized lenses cut right through it, and everything ahead looks super clear. I actually got this pair secondhand, but I’m thinking of picking up another one with photochromic lenses for late rides, when the light changes constantly.”
Insta 360 X3 $416
“The Insta360 is honestly one of the easiest tools I’ve had the pleasure to use. I usually just mount it on a stick, in front of me or behind, head out for a ride, then clip 20 seconds or so to share online. It’s kind of the ultimate camera to capture your rides when you’re solo, and I’m actually really curious to try the new X5 model. It’s supposed to be much better in low light, and I’d love to film some night rides around Paris. I guess I’ll let you know next summer.”
La Liquiderie (Paris 11th)
“La Liquiderie is kind of a bar, but not really… You’ll find it in a tiny corner of 11th arrondissement of Paris. There are maybe four seats total, especially since part of a neighboring balcony collapsed…. (Not fun…) And it’s more of a proper craft beer shop anyway, with a huge selection.
At the end of the day, I’m still a full-on hipster who loves IPAs, fixed gear bikes, and tattoos, so naturally, I love this place. They’ve got loads of international beers: Cloudwater from the US, ToØl, and plenty more.
It’s the kind of spot where you take your time with friends, tasting different brews rather than just grabbing a big pint to cool off.
That said… let’s be honest, I also love a big pint after a good ride.”
Chicken Fried Snake by Rattlesnake Milk
“I found it completely randomly through one of my Spotify Discover playlists, and I’ve been hooked on the chill vibe ever since. Tracks like “Midnight Train” or “38 Special” have this laid-back, country feel, like the singer’s telling you he just won his last dice game, so he’s off to buy more beer. You can almost hear a tractor rumbling in the background. It’s just good vibes all around.”
And that’s going to be it for François’s Summer 2025 Essentials. See you this winter for my top of the year!
🎞: Expired Kodak Gold 200
📷: Leica M6
📍: Paris
